WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and U.S. Reps. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.-01) and Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.-02) joined U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.-14) and five other members of Congress in filing an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s completion and against activist attempts to block its construction.

On July 11, 2023, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals again halted construction of the 303-mile pipeline, which is nearly 95% complete, despite Congress’s and President Biden’s explicit approval of the project through the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave approval for construction to resume on the pipeline on July 9, 2023.

Capito, Miller, Mooney, and Reschenthaler were joined by U.S. Representatives Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.-03), Bill Johnson (R-Ohio-06), John Joyce (R-Pa.-13), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.-16), and Dan Meuser (R-Pa.-09) on the brief.

“By filing this amicus brief, my colleagues and I are speaking directly to the Supreme Court, urging them to uphold the clear intent of the language we included in the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden. Unfortunately, activist judges on the Fourth Circuit and radical environmental groups will stop at nothing to delay the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and it’s necessary to once again fight for the completion of this critical, job-creating energy project,” Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member Capito said.

“Because of the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Mountain Valley Pipeline will be completed. The Fourth Circuit no longer has any jurisdiction over the Mountain Valley Pipeline and Republicans are fighting back. While it is unfortunate that this amicus brief and case are necessary, I look forward to the Supreme Court coming to a swift decision confirming Congress’ intent to increase domestic energy production, particularly in West Virginia. I continue to encourage the parties involved with construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline to ignore the fourth circuit and complete production as scheduled,” Congresswoman Miller said.

“Liberal activist lawsuits and bureaucratic red tape have long held up the Mountain Valley Pipeline, despite the project already clearing several agency permitting hurdles. Congress was clear when it said that judicial review of the Mountain Valley Pipeline was over. This pipeline is as much about West Virginia jobs as it is about American energy independence. The Supreme Court should recognize that Congress already resolved this matter,” Congressman Mooney said.

Full text of the brief is available here.

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